Watch CBS News

Connecticut Lawmakers Might Turn Down Volume At Movie Theaters

HARTFORD, Conn. (CBSNewYork) -- Ever go to a movie and leave with your ears ringing because the sound was so loud?

Lawmakers on the Connecticut General Assembly's Public Safety and Security Committee are being asked to decide whether movie theaters statewide should be required to project sound levels no louder than 85 decibels, WCBS 880 Connecticut Bureau Chief Fran Schneidau reported.

"Having gone to the theater recently with a couple of special effects and loud music and, depending on where you sat, I would be safe to say it has been exceedingly loud," state Rep. Tony Hwang, R-Fairfield, told Schneidau.

Conn. Lawmakers Might Turn Down Volume At Movie Theaters

But some lawmakers, including Hwang, said they fear government could be stepping on artistic license by regulating how loud the soundtrack in theaters can be.

"My initial reservation of this is the fact that how are we going to regulate artistic form and music and sound," Hwang said.

The Public Safety Committee was was scheduled to hear testimony on the proposal Tuesday.

A decibel is a unit used to explain the intensity of a sound wave.The Occupational Safety and Health Administration allows workers to be exposed to 90 decibels over eight hours.

You May Also Be Interested In These Stories

(TM and © Copyright 2014 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2014 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.